I had a really tough time after I had my first baby. ⁣

I’m a pretty independent person who takes a lot of pride in getting stuff done. ⁣

And suddenly I was on maternity leave from teaching with this brand new little infant who just needed me all the time. ⁣

It seemed like my life as I knew it was over. ⁣

And the adversary sure wanted me to believe that. ⁣

This will never change. It will never get better. ⁣

But the adversary has always used this tactic. ⁣

When the saints in Missouri needed some guidance from church leaders, they were asked to meet and counsel together.

Because otherwise…⁣

“Satan seeketh to turn their hearts away from the truth, that they become blinded and understand not the things which are prepared for them.” (D&C 78:10⁣)

They would be blinded and not understand the things that have been prepared for them in their future. ⁣

The future is filled with unimaginable blessings. ⁣

Babies grow up. ⁣

People move. ⁣

Jobs change. ⁣

Family dynamics and responsibilities shift. ⁣

But even if that reminder doesn’t seem like a “blessing”, the next life will bring us the greatest blessings of all. ⁣

Our future is glorious. We have so many blessings coming our way. We are loved beyond belief. ⁣

And the adversary doesn’t want us to remember that at all. ⁣

Luckily, I had some friends and mentors give me a glimpse of these changes when I had my little newborn, and I was quickly able to see that things DO get better. In fact, they change every single day with kids!⁣

But still, the adversary works on his message. ⁣

Because he knows that if we understand what is really waiting for us in the future, we will be unstoppable. ⁣

Satan wants us to pick his team and forget that the fight has already been won.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Satan’s most effective lie first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

They thought Joseph was deceiving many people into supporting and believing him.

And so an evil plan entered their minds…

And they chose to keep thinking it:

“Why don’t we steal the transcribed pages, alter them, and then frame Joseph after he re-translates?

“Sure, it involves lying and deception on our end.

“But it’s okay because we are exposing lying and deception.”

Thus, the plan was put in place.

And a book of scripture was lost to our generation.

It can feel tempting to fight sin with the same type of sin and feel justified in doing it.

If someone is angry with me, I’m going to become angry with them, too.

If someone is outraged at something, I’m going to become outraged at how outraged they are.

If someone complains a lot to me, I’m going to complain to other people about how much they complain.

Satan wants us to believe that we are justified in sinning.

And he’ll use any strategy to get us there.

And I think he has succeeded quite a bit with this strategy in particular—

Sinning with the illusion that it is justified because of another’s (real or perceived) sin.

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, wo be unto him that lieth to deceive because he supposeth that another lieth to deceive, for such are not exempt from the justice of God.” (D&C 10:28)

God doesn’t want us “fighting fire with fire.”

He wants us to keep His commandments and show love with integrity to all.

No matter what those around us choose to do. 

He wants us to fight fire with love and peace.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post This lie will expose that lie first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’ve always wondered what these secret oaths and combinations are really about!

Mostly out of curiosity, since they seem to be so effective at bringing people away from the Lord.

One my absolute favorite insights I’ve gained from studying this week come from Cain.

Cain, the first murderer, gives a perfect summary of the gist of all these oath and combinations that the adversary uses.

In Moses 5:31, Cain says, “Truly I am Mahan, the master of this great secret, that I may murder and get gain.”

(Just for context, “Mahan” often refers to “mind”, “destoryer”, or “secret”.)

Did you catch that false promise?!

Satan teaches people that they can commit any kind of grievous sin, and that IT WILL WORK FOR THEIR GAIN.

Sometimes, it’s in dramatic ways, like Cain believing that murdering his brother would give him his brother’s flocks.

But for most people on earth, Satan is much more subtle.

He convinces us that not keeping a covenant we’ve made will actually be better for our life.

Or that choosing to bend the rules a bit will actually bring much more joy.

Or that selfishness is actually much more healthy than service and empathy.

But it’s not true.

Satan has NOT discovered some secret loophole for gain.

Because his lie has always been the same:

“God tells you to keep all these commandments and try to become like Him? No, I’ve found a secret workaround for all that hard work, and it will make you happier, too.”

It’s a lie.

It’s a lie that is as old as quite literally the earth itself.

Committing sin will never bring us on a shortcut to lasting happiness.

And we can push back on any temptations that are trying to convince us that they will.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Satan’s big lie first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.